Everyone knows that regular exercise is good for the body. But exercise is also one of the most effective ways to improve your mental health. Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more. It can also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts your overall mood. We hear this all the time from our members, that when they started at CrossFit Durst, they were going through a hard time and that CrossFit is now a huge part of their mental health regiment.

With this in mind, we here at CrossFit Durst in Brantford are hosting a charitable day on January 30th where we are opening our doors to anyone in the community to come out and try a class. We will be taking donations to Bell’s Lets Talk campaign. Our workout that day will have the option to do solo or grab a partner and share the workload. We believe that fitness is just as important to the mind as it is the body. Please join us on January 30th to take part, raise awareness and donations for Mental Health Awareness.

“Depressed, constantly anxious, overwhelmed, irritated and unable to relax or enjoy anything, I made the decision to go to an on-ramp class at a local CrossFit box. To be honest, my goal when walking into that first class on July 4, 2014, was to make it through without crying and without letting on that something was wrong. After I clumsily tried to learn new skills, used a barbell for the first time and did an extremely modified WOD designed for beginners, something unexpected happened.

For the first time in weeks, I felt like I could breathe. The weight on my chest had let up. My body was so spent from the workout, muscles shaking, that I was finally able to do what I had been failing to do for weeks: relax. It felt like all the blood seeped from my brain to my muscles and left me without enough power to think. It was incredible.” - Amy Kievit

Kievit said CrossFit's group setting is great for people who are dealing with anxiety because it reduces the stress a person might experience in a one-on-one session. It also creates community.

Brantford we have some amazing workouts coming your way this month. It has already been a killer month and it has only just started. Lets take a look at what January is all about.

Jan 1st.

We kicked off the new year by taking on a classic CrossFit Workout called MURPH. This day was a huge success all around because each of these individuals made a donation to the Brantford Food Bank!

Jan. 5th

Our members took on HERO WOD CHAD. 1000 Step ups for time with weight. We also had some special guests join us: Thanks to The Brantford Fire Department for attending our hero WOD event today and raising awareness for mental health and PTSD. They took on "Chad" together in full gear with a time of 45:05!

January and 2019 Overview

Overall in 2019, we want to get back to the basic principles of effective training with a renewed focus on functionality, variance, and intensity. Our long term goal has and always will be to produce the greatest amount of “fitness” -- the ability to do work across many different time domains and many different modalities (aka be a very capable athlete no matter how, what, where, and why). We hope that this broad brand of fitness that carries over outside the walls of the gym and allows you to live your life freely and fully. At CrossFit Durst, you will continue to get a highly varied exposure to functional movements as well as time, volume, and loading ranges. We will vary these elements smartly to produce effective, challenging, and fun workouts. We will use our warm-ups, skills, workouts, and finishers to build confidence and consistency to our major motor patterns. Coaches will guide members to implement intensity carefully...building bulletproof mechanics first, then consistency of those mechanics and finally boosting the intensity. We are very excited to get back to the basics!

In addition, each month of programming will have a slight bias toward one of the 10 General Physical Skills. This bias might not be immediately noticeable; however, each month we will have delineated tests, workouts, skills, or drills that will lend themselves to that month’s particular focus. We will also be angling our CrossFit programming to slightly bias or adjust to the 2019 Open structure. We anticipate building our members toward these tests and then programming the tests during the Open.

January’s specific focus will revolve around COORDINATION via practicing and building common skills that are tested during the Open. Weekly you will see skill development portions to help members build confidence and coordination in a skill before testing it in the workout. In particular we will focus on the Muscle Up, Handstand Push-up, and Double Under as we know these movements will show up in the Open, and we know our members will want to have a plan of attack when they show up!

All this Plus our BURN and BUILD Programming. There truly is something for everyone at CrossFit Durst!

Are you ready to get started with us? Email us today to book your free no- sweat into now. Crossfirdurst@gmail.com

The Whole Life Challenge is a 6-week online, community-building, habit-changing program which challenges you to create a happier, healthier life by making small, daily changes.

HOW IT WORKS?

Each day for the duration of the 6-week Challenge, you'll get points for completing each of the 7 Daily Habits. Playing with your friends and fellow CrossFit Durst members, you’ll score points every day, focusing on 7 key areas of health and well-being:

Nutrition

Exercise

Mobility

Sleep

Hydration

Well-Being

Reflect

The 7 Daily Habits work together to create an effect in your life that’s hard to overstate — after a few weeks, you’ll feel rested, energetic, present, strong, healthy (and perhaps even happier).

Even better, you’ll have a base knowledge about health and wellness that will last long after the challenge ends, giving you the tools you need to build a healthier lifestyle for years to come.

The Whole Life Challenge will include before & after workout tests, body measurements, pictures (optional), and self-assessments. You will also select one of three Nutrition Levels (Kick-start, Lifestyle, Performance – full details in the link below) to follow throughout the eight weeks where you will score points daily based on how well you follow your selected Nutrition Level guidelines as well as the rest of the 7 Daily Habits listed above. And just like with your fitness, all we’re looking for is PROGRESS, not perfection!

Support throughout the Challenge will be provided by you and your teammates within our own private online community forum, through advice and guidance from return players, as well as content posted by Whole Life Challenge.

This is open to anyone, not JUST Durst members! Challengers that aren’t Durst members and join our team, will have all Burn and Beginners classes during the 6 week challenge included with their entry fee. Please contact us for details on class times.

We have you covered with our top 10 gifts to buy the CrossFitter in your life.

What is even better is that we have tried to keep it LOCAL!

1. Gift Cards

Gift cards to their BOX (their gym). Most CrossFit members pay monthly dues and no one thinks to get them a gift card to apply to those membership dues. This would make any CrossFitter smile!

2. Rep The Gym!

BOX apparel, head into their gym and check out what “gear” they have. Every CrossFitter loves their community and would proudly rep their gym with a new t-shirt or hat!

3. Must Have Brands.

Hook them up with some new technical gear. Check out Savage Barbell, FELO Short or Rouge Fitness. Trust us they love this stuff!

4. Subscription Box.

Shopping for the ladies? Check out Barbella BOX. This is a monthly box that is full of goodies specific for CrossFit. You can order a 1 month, 3 months or full year subscription. Check it out: https://www.barbellabox.com

5. The Little Stuff!

CrossFit has lots some great stocking stuffers. Patches, tape, ropes, wrist wraps, and the list keeps going. Head into a CrossFit Box near you and see what they carry.

6. Healthy Food.

Most CrossFitters also try to keep their diet pretty clean. Grab them a gift card to a local health food store or an online meal subscription. One of our favourites is Honey Bee Meals. Check them out here and remind them to use code CFDURST for 10% off their first order. https://honeybeemeals.com

7. Massage & Chiropractor

CrossFitters work their bodies hard and because of that hard work they require a little loving care from the professionals. Check out Cobblestone Medicine and Rehab Center or The Massage Addict.

http://cobblestonemedicineandrehab.com

https://www.massageaddict.ca/brantford-westbrant/

8. Local Spirits.

Crossfitters work hard but they also like to relax and unwind. Most would love a great bottle of wine or a few beers from a local craft brewery. Have you checked out Bell City Brewery or Mash Paddle?

Gadgets.

Smart watches that track fitness are all the rave right now. Check out GARMIN, WHOOP or Fitbit.

10. Books!

CrossFitters love to be inspired. There are some great books out there about CrossFit or defying the odds. Head over to Amazon and just type “CrossFit Books” into the search engine.

This week we'll be be highlighting someone really special! This week we're highlighting one of our Durst Kids..Hailey Dinsmore!

Lets learn more!

CrossFit Durst- HeyHailey! Thanks so much for making time for us in your busy schedule! Before we get into CrossFit tell us a bit more about you?

Hailey Dinsmore- I'm 10 years old, I was born in Brantford, I have a baby brother, I love to be active in CrossFit, Soccer, Dance, the Arts, I speak two languages English and French, I love my three dogs, and travel.

CD- Hailey! You have so much going on, I can't believe you find time to stay that active, learn TWO languages and have time to scratch three bellies! Tell me about how CrossFit keeps you coming back, why do you love it?

HD- I likes that I get to workout and workout with other kids!

CD- That's really cool, I hear that you don't just like to workout with other kids but you like to also compete against them! What is the biggest change you’ve seen in yourself since starting CrossFit?

HD- Yes! I just placed third in the Lil Beasts competition at CrossFit Elgin!. Since starting CrossFit I've noticed that I'm stronger, I have increased focus and I feel healthier.

CD- That's incredible! Great job! What are your next CrossFit goals?

HD- My next goal is to get a new PR on the barbell Clean and Jerk (I hit 30 pounds in comp).

HD- I joined because my mom was doing CrossFit and I wanted to get stronger.

CD- That's so cool that you and your mom can share the same passion! What would you say to someone who is thinking about getting into CrossFit?

HD- If my friends asked me about CrossFit I would tell them that there's always a new challenge, you can always get stronger/faster, it's never boring and I've made new friends!

CD- That's so cool, Hailey! Thank you again for your time, before we let you go. Do you have anything cool coming up?

HD- My next big adventure will be going to Spain next July where I will get to meet my Spanish relatives...maybe I’ll even get to do a workout at a CrossFit gym (my cousin is a coach at CrossFit Principe)

And there we have it folks!

Thank you for taking the time to get to know one of the members in our community.

And don't forget that CrossFit Kids/Teens registration is now open and classes are starting in January!

"The mindset of a champion isn't something you're born with. It is forged and sharpened through hours of thoughtful practice” -Unknown

There are some events that you will just never forget, and even better you will always remember those who went with you on those crazy adventures.

Last June 12 Durst members decided to take on RAGNAR Niagara Falls. This event is a 300km relay race. We started in Port Colborne Ontario on Friday morning and took turns running one at a time until we reached Niagara Falls on Saturday evening. It may seem pretty straightforward BUT what you forget is that when you are not running, you are in a van supporting your runners along or trying to catch some shut-eye or taking your turn at driving. The relay happens straight through the night. Sleep is rare and occurs where and when you can.

I have so many memories from this event that I could write an entire novel, but for the sake of your time, I will just highlight a few of the best moments here below:

Moment #1 - Our Van door breaking (coming off the tracks) before we even started the race. We made it work, but it did cause some stress and belly laughing along the way.

Moment #2 - Stopping at each of our runners 1/2 waypoints to cheer, provide support, take selfies etc.. As a runner it was such a great mental break to see your van up ahead and your team cheering for you.

Moment #3 - Each of our exchanges with Van #2. As much as we were one big team we really didn’t get to see Van 2 very much. Those few relay exchanges from Van 1 to Van 2 were special moments where the entire group of 12 were together for a brief moment.

Moment #4 - Sleeping in a parking lot! Waking up and looking out the window to see a skunk walking past Jason and Tammy while they slept under the starts. Thankfully no one was sprayed.

Moment #5 - Crossing that finish line as a team of 12 who just did something pretty spectacular. Ragnar has this whole team thing down; even the medals are a team focused. They link to gather like a puzzle piece to reveal a motivational quote. See the picture below.

Think this sounds fun? We have a team being put together for June 2019. Reach out, and let's get you to connect with the team captain.

This week we will be be highlighting Gennaro Battista. Gennaro is born and raised in Monteal but ISN'T french (More on this later). He's married, has a 15 month old daughter, is an avid church goer and has only been doing CrossFit since January of 2017!

Lets learn more!

CrossFit Durst- HeyGennaro! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions! I'm excited so lets get down to it! What is it that you love about CrossFit that keeps you coming back?

Gennaro Battista- Ah, whats not to love!!!! I don’t want to bash other gyms or styles of training. But I am TOTALLY BIASED when it comes to Crossfit. Crossfit is that perfect blend of EVERYTHING an athlete needs to be happy and never get bored. When you hit a PR weight, you aim to lift more. When you hit a PR time, you aim to do it faster. When you successfully accomplish a new movement, you try to perfect it more every time. Crossfit is the perfect sport to keep any individual healthy, learning, pushing, striving.

CD- HAHA that's an amazing answer, you really are jacked up about CrossFit! What is the biggest change you’ve seen in yourself since starting CrossFit?

GB- Without a doubt my overall physique. The whole philosophy behind “functional movement” REALLY functions lol. The part that shocked me the most was my core / abs. Although I don’t have a 6-pack, I noticed my core becoming defined, without really “targeting” it specifically. And also my chest. I have always struggled with the epidemic of being a flat chested male :) but after almost 2 years, I can see that my chest has grown!

CD- WOO!! Big chest FTW! What are your next CrossFit goals?

GB- GAINS!! Lol coming up on 2 years in January, it’s time I start to take my journey to the next level. I want to become stronger, and I want to get “fitter”. I want to be a mash up of Matt A and Rae LOL #goals #adoptme

CD- HAHA I hope they get a laugh from reading this! What would your favourite workout look like?

GB- Any WOD that is a “grinder”. The ones that your mind keeps telling you before you even hit the half way point that you wanna give up. Those are the ones that give me the most sense of accomplishment (if and when I finish them, that is).

CD- Those are the workouts that you really grow mentally! Can you speak a little bit about the CrossFit Durst community?

GB- I have never been one to look at “going to the gym” as a fun thing. The old traditional gyms suuuuck. It’s more of a fashion statement is most cases. But Durst, man, what a beautiful community. My wife used to think I went for the social aspect, but I always denied it. But when I think of it, it’s true. Being part of the Durst family adds an aspect to my life that I’d hate to lose. Not only for the laughs, but for the drive to be better, push harder, aim higher; NEVER GIVE UP. Yes I am competitive. And I think that most people at Durst have somewhat of a competitive nature. Not a “Ha, I’m better than you” competitive. Rather, a competitiveness that forces individuals to push harder when they see how other individuals are doing. I don’t know, it makes sense in my head lol

CD- You're right, the community here is very special! What would you say to someone who is thinking about getting into CrossFit?

GB- Check your ego at the door when first getting started. It’s so easy to see people lifting heaving and thinking “I can do that”. And chances are they could do it. But learning the proper form is crucial to have long term success and staying free from injury. And to anyone starting Crossfit, you accepted the fact that yes, Crossfit is expensive. You overcame the hurdle and finally decided to invest in yourself. GOOD FOR YOU. We all work, SO HARD, and so often we can’t justify spending so much money on a gym membership when all other gyms offer their memberships at much less than half the price of Crossfit. Truth is, it’s worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY. It’s hard to really make anyone understand why it’s so great. You really have to try it to understand. It’s not just a gym membership; you’re becoming part of a community that doesn’t judge anyone. No matter your fitness background, at Durst we have a common goal to push each other, we lift each other up when we feel like giving up; we are each other’s strength when the other is weak. You can always count on someone yelling at you to push harder when they see you ready to give up. You WILL NOT find that anywhere else. We. Are. Family.

CD- Thank you so much Gennaro. Before we let you go, we need to give the people what they want. Tell us more about you!!

GB- Born and raised in Montreal. Yes, I speak French, but that doesn’t make me French. And when I speak, my accent isn’t a French one... just saying. I hate when people say “oh you have a French accent” I’ve been living in Brantford since 2011. My career, well... I love telling people what I do because people can’t keep a straight face.... I sell balloons :) and helium of course. I sell to party stores and dollar stores. I’m national sales manager so I get to travel lots, too much at times. Thankfully I am married to an incredible woman who is extremely supportive and understanding. Her name is lidia and she works at Starbucks, so be sure to introduce yourself if you see her there! We currently have an adorable 15 month old baby girl, Alessia. I am an active church goer (when I don’t travel). I love to find any reason to cook some meat on my Traeger. I can sit on the sofa and watch Netflix or Youtube all day er’ day. Christmas is my favourite.

I love food; black, white, purple, whatever, I don’t discriminate.

And there we have it folks! Keep up the great work and enjoy crushing your new goals, Gennaro!!

Thank you for taking the time to get to know one of the members in our community.

“CrossFit is a way of life. You eat well, you train hard, you push yourself. It teaches you so much about yourself”— Ben Smith, CrossFit Athlete

This week we will be be highlighting Sean (Shaggy) Donohue. Shaggy is a 29 year old who has been a Brantford Firefighter for the past 10 years. He's also a proud father of a little 1 year old black lab named Nessie. Other than crossfit he loves playing volleyball year round and baseball during the summer. He's also actively involved in the Brantford community helping out at community events.

Lets learn more!

CrossFit Durst- HeyShaggy! Thank you for giving us your time! So you've been doing CrossFit for 9 years now. What is it that you love about CrossFit that keeps you coming back?

Sean (Shaggy) Donohue- The community is huge for me, everyone knows how to have good time but can also flip that switch and give it their all when it’s time to work. Everyone is supportive of each other and will continue to support you even if you are one of the last ones to finish. I also love that every workout is laid out for you, you are told what to do and that’s what you do. There's no backing out of reps or sets, you go to the gym, do your work and go home.

CD- That balance between having fun and working hard is so important! What is the biggest change you’ve seen in yourself in the past 9 years of CrossFit?

SD- The biggest change I have noticed is my mental state, when I attend crossfit on a regular basis I find my will power to accomplish daily goals improves. I would find myself cutting reps, shortening workouts when I attended Non-Crossfit gyms, that changed completely when I started to attend Crossfit classes.

CD- That's a really cool change! It's not only changing your fitness level but changing your home life! What are your next CrossFit goals?

SD- I really want to do handstand walks for more than a foot….

CD- You'll get there! Those gymnastic moves are tough! What would your favourite workout look like?

SD- I would have to say any WOD’s that include Wall Balls, Double Unders or any type of Clean. I am a big fan of the high intensity workouts were you have to complete so many reps/rounds for time.

CD- Haha those are the best! You know you only have to endure for so long and its over! Can you speak a little bit about the CrossFit Durst community?

SD- I think it comes down to the coaches and the members. Durst has great coaches that will go the extra mile to make sure your workout is “enjoyable”. Without getting into it too much, every member at Durst brings something positive to the table to make the overall experience enjoyable.

CD- It's always great to hear amazing things like that about Durst. What would you say to someone who is thinking about getting into CrossFit?

SD- Step out of your comfort zone and take the plunge, yes crossfit can seem intimidating from an outside perspective but what do you have to lose? You either sign-up and find out you love crossfit and make new friends along the way or you find out you don’t enjoy it. at least you gave it a chance!

CrossFit Durst- Thank you so much Sean, for taking the time to answer our questions! Keep up the great work and enjoy crushing your new goals!!

Thank you for taking the time to get to know one of the members in our community.

This week we will be be highlighting Maisyn Hall. Maisyn is a 20 year old university student in her final year and she's been doing CrossFit for 2 years now!

Lets learn more!

CrossFit Durst- HeyMaisyn! Thank you for giving us your time! So you've been doing CrossFit for 2 years now. What is it that you love about CrossFit that keeps you coming back?

Maisyn Hall- I love crossfit because of the community. They push me to lift heavier, and run faster each and every day! I also love having the workouts programmed for me, as I would never be able to see the results I do if I was planning the WODs myself.

CD- Having all those people around you to push and encourage has to be a great feeling! What is the biggest change you’ve seen in yourself in the past 3 years at CrossFit Durst?

MH- The biggest change I’ve seen in myself from CrossFit is my mentality. I used to always push going to the gym aside, and never saw it as something fun to do on my own. Now, I go to the gym by myself frequently, as I see it as a fun activity that I get to do with a great group of people. It is now something I look forward to every day.

CD- That's an amazing change! What are your next CrossFit goals?

MH- My next goal is to connect my pull-ups and learn how to do them butterfly. I look forward to when I can finally do pull-ups in a WOD without being as slow as a turtle!

MH- My favourite WODs are AMRAPs because I love the feeling of knowing I just have to push as hard as I can until the time is up.

CD- Haha those are the best! You know you only have to endure for so long and its over! Can you speak a little bit about the CrossFit Durst community?

MH- My favourite thing about Durst and the community is how welcoming everyone is! I am always greeted as soon as I walk in the door by the coach and the other people doing the class. I always leave with a smile on my face, and can’t wait until the next workout.

CD- It's always great to hear amazing things like that about Durst. What would you say to someone who is thinking about getting into CrossFit?

MH- I would say that Crossfit is a great way to get into shape if that is what they are looking for! It is a good workout in only an hour so it doesn’t waste your entire day. Everyone is also so friendly that you don’t need to be nervous or self-conscious when you arrive for a class.

CrossFit Durst- Thank you so much Maisyn, for taking the time to answer our questions! Keep up the great work and enjoy crushing your new goals!!

Thank you for taking the time to get to know one of the members in our community.

“Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still”— Chinese Proverb

Well, a few of our members stepped up their game and took part in a weekend of Running. The Run the Hammer and Road2Hope event took place this weekend in Hamilton Ont.

Member Tara took on the 5K and 10K on Saturday. 15K total marks her longest distance run in one day!

Members Kristen, Scott and Kristy all ran the 5K and 10K on Saturday then returned on Sunday to take on the 1/2 Marathon. That is a total of 36.2K, pretty impressive if you ask me!

Members Madison and Chelsea took on the 1/2 Marathon on Sunday. Congratulations, this was Madison first 1/2 Marathon, and she killed it. Chelsea also walked out with a 1/2 marathon PR.

Please take a moment to congratulate these members when you see them next at the gym.

Are you thinking about taking on an upcoming race or event? Did you know that CrossFit can help you prepare? Come check out our beginners class Friday at 6:30 PM or email us at info@crossfitdurst.com for more information.

This week we will be be highlighting Kristy Strawbridge-Rooney. Kristy is a 39 year-old mother of two, she works full-time as a Program Assistant and has beendoing CrossFit for 3 years! Kristy has always been active and played sports but after having her kids she lost touch with that aspect of her life.

CrossFit has changed that for her!

Lets learn more!CrossFit Durst- Heykristy! Thank you for giving us your time! You've been doing CrossFit for 3 years now. What is it that you love about CrossFit that keeps you coming back?

Kristy Strawbridge-Rooney- I love the equal playing field. I love that men and women work out together as equals. I love bringing my kids to the box so that they can witness this. I love that CrossFit requires concentration and that no matter what is going on in your life for 1 hour of the day you can leave it at the door.

CD- That’s an amazing lesson for your kids! What is the biggest change you’ve seen in yourself in the past 3 years at CrossFit Durst?

KSR- I would say the biggest change is a mental one. Although I have definitely changed physically, I definitely have a lot more confidence in what my body is capable of. I am less shy to try new activities or the fear of failure. I love challenging myself and setting goals for new movements. I feel like CrossFit has taught me to be a little less hard on myself. It has taught me that failure at a movement today isn't a failure forever, it's just progress and part of the process of learning.

CD- That's incredible! The hardest challenges for us to overcome are always mental! What are your next CrossFit goals?

KSR- My next goal is to finally achieve a hand stand push up. They are a work in progress and I look forward to the day when I finally get one!

KSR- I love sprint WOD's. The ones that push you to keep going and not break because there isn't the time for it.

CD- The high intensity WOD's are always a crowd pleaser! Can you speak a little bit about the CrossFit Durst community?

KSR- I don't even know how to sum up my feelings properly. Durst has literally changed my life. The community in the box is amazing and everyone who enters means so much to me. There are so many people that have had an impact on my life and they don't even quite realize how much. It's such a positive environment that even on the worst day I still go and WOD because it makes my day better(Please see motivational quote at bottom of page). It has changed the way I view working out in that as much as everyone has individual goals and is competing against themselves, the group atmosphere keeps you going some days. You are all in it together and you will all finish. The last to finish always gets the most cheers.

CD- It's always great to hear amazing things like that about Durst. We truly feel that we have the greatest members!

CrossFit Durst- Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions! Keep up the great work and enjoy crushing your new goals!!

Thank you for taking the time to get to know one of the members in our community.

“On good days, work out. On bad days, work out harder”—Unknown (probably Kristy Strawbridge-Rooney)

Welcome to our weekly Q&A session with our members! This week we will be be highlighting Janice Robinson. Janice is an Educational Assistant, a wife, a mom of 2, a fitness enthusiast and has beendoing CrossFit for 2.5 years! Janice has now completed several mud races, a half marathon and enjoys making time to play as many team sports as she can, such as Ultimate Frisbee!

Lets get started!

CrossFit Durst- Janice! Thank you for taking the time to answer some of our questions! You said that you having be doing CrossFit for 2.5 years. What is it that you love about CrossFit that keeps you coming back?

Janice Robinson- What I love about CF is the challenges I get to face. I get to try new things and push myself out of my comfort zone. I love competing in mini competitions with a partner or in a group. One of the great things about these competitions is getting to spend the day or the weekend making memories with new friends and crushing some goals together!

CD- That’s great! What is the biggest change you’ve seen in yourself in the past 2.5 years at CrossFit Durst?

JR- The biggest change in me since starting CF would be my strength and my confidence! I am now able to do pull-ups consecutively, lift weights in proper form in various movements and double unders!!! This really has been a huge accomplishment of mine to be reaching these goals.

CD- That’s amazing! It’s so important to celebrate reaching those goals! Do you have new goals that you’ve set? If so, do you mind sharing?

JR-My next goals would be handstand push-ups, chest-to-bar movements and butterfly pull-ups!

CD- Those are great goals to work on! What would your favourite workout look like?

JR- My favourite WODs (workouts of the day) are chippers! I love doing a little bit of everything. I enjoy it when the workouts include with some barbell work, some slam balls and running.

CD- Chippers are always fun! Can you speak a little bit about the CrossFit Durst community?

JR- I see the Durst community as a group of people - with many in my age- and similar fitness level that I am able to work together with and not compete against. We are sincere when we try and help a friend finish a WOD or lift just a little bit heavier weight and reach a new bench or to make a new personal personal best.

CD- We really do have an amazing community here! There are so many members here that enjoy helping others meet their fitness goal. Whether they are new to exercise, new to CrossFit or are CrossFit veterans like yourself, there are members here looking to help you achieve success! What was it like the first time you worked out at CrossFit Durst?

JR- The first time I went to CF Durst I saw someone lifting weights over their head and dropping it and I said "I want to do that!". I also experienced pistol squats for the first time. Coach Drew was leading the class and was so helpful with my 2 girlfriends and I. He gave us many variations/accommodations of the movement. I was so sore after that night and I had thought I was in pretty good shape up until then!

CD- That’s great! What would you say to someone who is thinking about trying CrossFit for the first time?

JR- I would recommend that they try CF more than once! You can't get a real feel for all the fun things you will experience in just one visit since there are so many variations/combinations to the WODs!

CrossFit Durst- Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions! Keep up the great work and enjoy crushing your new goals!!